Spatial scale matters for degrowth: An exploration informed by critical realism

Abstract

Multi-scalar strategies, upscaling local degrowth initiatives, and rescaling are considered necessary for transforming towards degrowth. With burgeoning research on spatiality and scales in the degrowth literature, it becomes pertinent to reflect on the ontological foundations underlying the concept of scale and to strengthen some common ground for approaches to scales for the degrowth agenda. Being informed by the critical realist ontology, this paper aims to lay an ontological underpinning for degrowth scalar approaches, situated within the planning context. The argument starts with an ontological inquiry of ‘what is scale’. With an understanding of spatial scales as social structures, the argument moves to explicate ‘how does scale matter for degrowth initiatives’. This explication conceptualises five dimensions relevant to the degrowth agenda: scalarising degrowth values and norms, scalar mechanisms, scalar strategies, cross-scale impacts and rescaling. The conceptual framework is then further illustrated by exploring multi-scalar strategies for degrowth housing development and planning, partly contextualised by the case of Oslo City. Finally, the paper concludes with suggestions on ‘how can degrowth research and movements better integrate the question of scale’. Explanatory, critical, relational and holistic approaches are proposed as ways of taking spatial scales into account as an integral part of degrowth transformation.